The 5 Criteria For Choosing The Ultimate Yoga Retreat: A Guest Post
By giving us a break from day-to-day life to immerse ourselves in wellness and relaxation, yoga retreats can be a real transformative experience. But with so many different retreats around the world, it can be hard to choose one to attend.
If you’re going to invest your time and money in a retreat, you want to be sure it’s the right one for you. While there are many factors to consider, start by using these five criteria to help you make your decision.
1. Are the teachers experienced?
While most retreats include a wide variety of off-the-mat activities, yoga classes are usually the core of the retreat. And that means your retreat experience will depend largely on the quality of the teaching. Look into the background of the retreat’s teachers before you book, and make sure they’re qualified and experienced.
2. What do the reviews say?
Many yoga retreats are listed on TripAdvisor or Yelp, and you might be able to find additional reviews on blogs or other websites by Googling. While you should always take reviews with a grain of salt, a retreat with mostly negative ones probably won’t offer a great experience. It’s also a good idea to look at common complaints to see whether they’re things that are important to you.
3. How good is the value for money?
Yoga retreats range in price from less than $50/day to $1,000/day or more – and the standards range wildly as well. But the important thing is to look for a retreat that’s within your budget and offers good value for its price. When you’re considering the value, pay careful attention to what the retreat cost covers; some are completely all-inclusive, while others don’t include meals, accommodations, or certain activities.
4. Is healthy food available?
Most people considering a yoga retreat are looking for an experience that will be a healthy one overall, and the food is a big part of that. Check what kind of food is served at retreats you’re considering, although it will probably be healthy if it’s included. This is a bigger issue at retreats that don’t provide food, so look into whether healthy options are available (and also if there will be a lot of temptations around).
5. How did initial communications go?
Any communication you have with retreat staff prior to attending could give an indication of how their retreats tend to go. If you call or e-mail with questions, notice whether they get back to you promptly, provide the information you need, and treat you with respect, as well as how organized they seem overall. If communication is difficult or you get a bad feeling about it, consider looking for another retreat.
Of course, no retreat can please everyone, and participants can have a wonderful time even when the retreat isn’t perfect. But to best set yourself up for a positive experience, use these five criteria when making your choice.
About the Author:
Kosta Miachin is the creator of VIKASA Yoga method - a unique, challenging and effective approach to yoga. He is also the founder of VIKASA Yoga Academy. You can find him online: http://www.vikasayoga.com